by Denise

More expatriates are returning to their native countries for medical care. This trend is due in part because of increased quality of care in many countries, as well as the affordability of such care. 

Asians traveling to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia enjoy affordable state of the art and high-tech treatment and care for orthopedic surgical procedures, cardiac care, and vision care. Latin Americans are returning to Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina for cutting edge technology in cosmetic and plastic surgical procedures, infertility treatments, and anti aging treatments and procedures. Eastern Europeans are traveling to destinations such as Poland, Croatia, Hungary, and Armenia as well as Russia for drug detox treatments, infertility treatments, and stem cell treatment and technologies.

Rising healthcare costs in the United States, Britain, Canada and France are compelling natives as well as foreign citizens to return to their homelands for such care, which utilizes highly trained physicians, world-class treatment and quality care that nevertheless is not burdened by high malpractice insurance costs, long wait times, and an increasingly disturbing trend by physicians and insurance companies in some countries to hesitate to take on patients diagnosed with chronic and long-term illnesses that drain resources, time, and manpower.

Information, education and resources offered to such expatriates enables educated and informed decisions regarding medical care, preventive medicine, and treatment of conditions ranging from cancer treatment to spine or knee surgery to stem cell treatments in foreign facilities. Destinations such as Wooridul Spine Center in South Korea, EmCell stem cell research in Ukraine and Ageless Wonders in Panama offer international travelers the best that medicine has to offer.

Tags: Ageless Wonders, anti aging, anti-aging treatments, Argentina, Armenia, Asians, Brazil, cancer treatment, cardiac care, chronic illness, cosmetic, cosmetic and plastic surgery, croatia, detox, drug detox, Eastern Europeans, EmCell, expatriates, expats, health care, healthcare, healthcare costs, hungary, infertility, infertility treatments, Japan, knee surgery, Latin Americans, long term illnesses, Malaysia, malpractice insurance, medical care, Mexico, orthodpedic, orthopedic surgical procedures, Panama, plastic surgical procedures, poland, preventive medicine, quality of care, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, spine surgery, stem cell, stem cell technologies, stem cell treatment, stem cell treatments, thailand, Ukraine, vision care, Wooridul Spine Center
Posted in Cosmetic Surgery Abroad, Croatian Medical Tourism, Drug Addiction Therapy Abroad, Fertility Treatment Abroad, Hungary Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism, Orthopedics Surgery Abroad, South America Medical Tourism, Stem Cell Therapy, chronic disease treatment | 1 Comment »

by Denise

The popularity of medical travel, more commonly known as medical tourism is a more common topic these days than it used to be. At first, people were leery of the concept of visiting other countries for their international medical care needs. What about qualifications? What about experience? What about education in various medical procedures and techniques? Unfortunately, many individuals, mostly in the United States, don’t realize that many other countries in the world offer world class, high-tech and state of the art equipment, surgeons and physicians in most medical fields, including cancer treatment and research, orthopedics, autoimmune disease processes, cosmetic and plastic surgeries, dental care and dental surgeries and more.

PlacidWay, a medical tourism portal, offers individuals up-to-date information and resources for individuals considering medical tourism. Questions about Spine Care Abroad to anti aging abroad, dental and cosmetic surgery, orthopedics and stem cell research are front and center at PlacidWay.

Some of the most common questions and individuals considering traveling to another country for medical care would naturally be:

• How much will it cost?
• How do I get there?
• How will I navigate my way in a country where I don’t know the language?
• Will someone meet me at the airport and take me to the medical facility?
• Will translators be available?
• How much training does the surgeon or physician have in this procedure?

Of course, there’s probably 1,000 more questions than any given individual might want to ask, the taking the first step means researching the facility, checking our web sites, and if possible, contacting individuals who have undergone surgery or treatments at that facility.

Doctor and facility certification, accreditation, standards of care and quality of care should be uppermost, and patients, regardless of origin, should never be afraid to ask questions of the physician or surgeon. After all, it’s your care.  Options are at your fingertips, and it’s up to you to choose which medical facility will best meet your needs.

Tags: accreditation, autoimmune disease, autoimmune disease processes, cancer, cancer research, cancer treatment, certification, cosmetic, cosmetic and plastic surgeries, dental, dental care, dental surgeries, doctor accreditation, doctor and facility certification, facility accreditation, international medical care, medical care, medical facility, medical fields, medical procedures, Medical Tourism, medical travel, orthopedics, physicians, planning for medical travel, plastic surgeries, qualifications, quality of care, standards of care, surgeons, surgeons and physicians, traveling to another country for medical care
Posted in Cancer Treatment Abroad, Cosmetic Surgery Abroad, Dental Tourism Abroad, Health Tourism, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Accreditations, Orthopedics Surgery Abroad | No Comments »

by Denise

Medical tourism, also known as the health and wellness industry, is receiving more interest these days, not only from Americans dealing with a faltering economy, but from individuals around the world seeking affordable and quality healthcare. Whether those individuals are from Nigeria, the Middle East, Turkey, Australia or the United States, quality medical care and accessible healthcare facilities are on everyone’s minds.

The Medical Tourism Association, a nonprofit organization, is among the first in the medical tourism industry to promote standards and guidelines for quality of care around the world. The Medical Tourism Association (MTA) offers consumers from around the world the opportunity to become accredited and certified members of the Association, but in order to do so they must be evaluated and certified as providers of excellent quality healthcare. The certification process defined by the Medical Tourism Association is a thorough, extensively detailed and stringent process that takes between 3 to 4 months for a facility to complete. Quality of care is essential to the medical tourism industry, and offers consumers the peace of mind that comes with knowing a facility is well staffed, educated, expertly trained and experienced in a number of procedures, including but not limited to obesity weight loss procedures, cardiac care, cancer treatments, orthopedic surgeries in orthopedic procedures and more.

Facilities certified and having completed accreditation guidelines by the Medical Tourism Association reduce potential of risks and errors, establish and promote patient rights, adhere to religious or cultural requirements for international travelers, set facilities and physicians apart from competitors and promote interaction with domestic and international insurance companies, to name a few.

The future of healthcare is in medical tourism, and the Medical Tourism Association is making sure that consumers can feel comfortable and confident regarding their medical care, regardless of destination.

Tags: Australia, cancer treatments, cardiac care, health and wellness, health and wellness industry, healthcare facilities, international insurance companies, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Association, medical tourism industry, middle east, MRA, Nigeria, obesity weight loss procedures, orthopedic procedures, orthopedic surgeries, patient rights, quality healthcare, quality medical care, quality of care, quality standards for medical tourism, turkey, United States
Posted in Health Tourism, Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Accreditations | No Comments »

by Denise

Today, accreditation by nationally recognized and renowned organizations and associations may literally mean the difference between success and failure for healthcare services and providers. Accreditation by facilities such as the Joint Commission International (JCI) as well as the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) signify that a facility, staff, or health service meets standard quality of care and services for patients.

Two excellent and renowned facilities are the Bangkok Hospital Medical Center in Bangkok, Thailand, and the Jordan Hospital, located in Amman, Jordan. The Jordan Hospital is accredited by the JCI and the ISO. This 300-bed multi-specialty state-of-the-art medical center provides a multitude of services for medical travelers, including surgery, internal medicine and specialized therapeutics, for a fraction of the cost that Americans spend on health care. The Jordan Hospital was the site of the first kidney transplant in 1972, and the first heart transplant in 1985.

The Bangkok Hospital Medical Center is also JCI accredited and has been providing world-class and award-winning healthcare since the early 1970s. A huge facility with over 650 full-time and consulting physicians, 700 nurses, and dozens of support technicians and specialists, the Bangkok Hospital, the International Hospital, the Bangkok Heart Hospital, the Cancer hospital and the Dental Center and Rehab Center offer world travelers the best in medical care and services in Southeast Asia.

These two facilities are just an example of the many fine health care facilities and practitioners available for medical tourists today. When looking for international health care, make sure they are internationally accredited, and that physicians and staff are board-certified and licensed to practice.

Tags: accreditation, accredited medical tourism, amman, Bangkock Hospital Medical Center, bangkok, International Society for Quality in Health Care, ISO, ISQua, JCI, Joint Commission International, jordan, jordan hospital, Medical Tourism, quality of care, thailand
Posted in Jordan Medical Tourism, Medical Tourism Accreditations, Thailand Medical Tourism | No Comments »

by Denise

JCI stands for Joint Commission International, an accrediting organization. Accreditation (in the healthcare field) is a process of assessing a medical facility to make sure it meets basic standards and requirements for providing quality of care.

Undergoing the accreditation process is voluntary and provides a means of gauging the commitment of any healthcare facility or a provider to ensure a safe environment as well as reduce risks to both patients and staff members. The most commonly used evaluation and management method around the world, JCI credentials are an important measure of the credibility and quality of a multitude of medical facilities.

What is JCI’s Function and Mission?

The Joint Commission International supports quality care among healthcare organizations around the globe and works with the World Health Organization, and with national accreditation programs and agencies. JCI standards and evaluation methods are created by health professionals in global health sectors, and can be tested in all world regions. The standards of the Joint Commission International apply to health care organizations and systems and are designed to support and sustain improvement in patient care and safety.

The goals of the Joint Commission International are to reduce risks, adverse effects, and consistently improve healthcare methods and procedures. The JCI works with hospitals, health providers, medical consultants, government agencies, and patients to provide standards, rules, and processes for medical facilities.

In order to be competitive and to reassure medical travelers that medical standards are up to date and training and expertise are followed through, foreign medical facilities in medical tourism destinations like India, Singapore, Thailand, Mexico, Brazil and Croatia, Hungary, Jordan and Ukraine are accredited by recognized accreditation organizations from the U.S. and abroad.

Tags: accreditation, accreditation process, accrediting organization, Brazil, croatia, health care organizations, hungary, India, JCI, JCI credentials, Joint Commission International, jordan, Medical Tourism Accreditations, medical travelers, Mexico, quality of care, Singapore, thailand, U.S., Ukraine, World Health Organization
Posted in Medical Tourism Accreditations | No Comments »